


Scotch and Diamonds: A CR Fic

by Justanothershortstory_sofar



Series: The DeRolo Seven [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Leverage Fusion, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-06 22:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14066715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanothershortstory_sofar/pseuds/Justanothershortstory_sofar
Summary: Percy thought the rest of his life would entail PI work- just enough to keep the lights on in his workshop, not enough to get him embroiled in a conspiracy. But one day, when approached by a mysterious woman, he finds himself embroiled in a plot with the Orthax crime family.To get out of this one, he's going to need more than himself.





	1. The Job is Proposed

Percival, the Mastermind  
Percy, formerly the heir of a Fortune 500 company, sat alone at a greasy airport bar, half asleep at eleven in the morning. He stared into the glass of scotch he’d been sipping at intermittently and absentmindedly tapped his long fingers along the bar.   
“Attention all passengers, please be advised,” A voice too perky for the time of day and the setting began to speak over the intercom. “Flight 450 to Vasselheim has been delayed an additional three hours due to inclement weather. We apologize for any problems this may have caused, and have a nice day.”  
Percy groaned. If he didn’t leave this bar now, he would most certainly be drunk on another flight, which was never a good idea. Patting his pockets, he began to look for his wallet, which, of course, was nowhere to be found.   
“Of fucking course.” He rummaged through his pockets again.   
“Put his drink on my tab,” A voice comes from the far side of the bar. A woman, maybe mid-thirties, with long blonde hair tied away from her face, stands at the other end of the bar. She tosses down a twenty- more than enough to pay for the drink, and downs her own drink in a fell swallow.   
“And who might you be?” Percy cocks an inquisitive eyebrow.   
“Someone who needs the skills of Percy De Rolo, Private Eye.” She walks in to a more comfortable speaking distance. “Allura Vysoren. I’m-”  
“Oh, I know who you are.” Percy shakes his head a touch. “CEO of Cloudtop Avionics, and advisor to many a government ear in Tal’Dorei. My only question is what you want from a PI like myself.”  
“A… friend of mine has been missing for the past few days,” Allura takes a few glossy photos from her cream-colored handbag. “She’s got a penchant for trouble.”  
“You want me to find her?” Percy sighs, beginning to walk away. “Look, lady. I don’t work fidelity cases, and I’m sure your girlfriend isn’t cheating on you.”  
“It’s not a fidelity case.” She says. “She’s a cop. And not my girlfriend, but that hardly matters right now.”  
Percy takes in the details, the possibilities. (There was no way Allura wasn’t dating this cop “friend” of hers, there was far too much longing in her voice, not to mention the tinged redness around her eyes and nostrils pointing to a recent cry.) “If she’s a cop, why aren’t her co-workers doing the thing you want me to do?”  
“They’ve given up,” Allura explains. “Say she went after someone she couldn’t beat, too powerful. You, on the other hand. You can pick up where the law leaves off.”  
“I can’t do this, not on my own.” Percy scans the photos, looking for clues. “She was last seen in Emon?”  
Allura nods. “You don’t even have to look for help. I have a crew, some of the best. All I need is for one honest man to keep them on track. How much are you making with your standard PI work? Double it. That’s what I’m paying.” She passes him a folder, which he takes a moment to flip through.   
“You’re insane, you know that?” Percy shakes his head. “This is never going to work.”  
“It’s the best shot I’ve got,” Allura says. “Are you in?”  
Despite his intentions for the day, Percy found himself leaving the airport, on his way to meet some of the wildest criminals Exandria has seen in a long time.

Greyskull Keep, a property owned by Cloudtop Avionics, was to be their home base. Percy didn’t know what to think, but he certainly did not expect the vast skyscraper that loomed many stories above the majority of buildings in Emon. He thought through the team again, they were clever, but not the ones he would have chosen. Loitering outside Greyskull, Percy got to work.   
His first step was to get a computer wiz, and not the one suggested by Allura. This was to be his team, he’d pick who he wanted. Percy produced a slim phone from his coat pocket and sent a quick text to the hacker he only knew as Tempest. They’d done work for him in the past and would meet up with him (he hoped) for the amount of money Allura was offering.   
The thief he had less of a say in. Despite having run into them along the underbelly of Tal’Dorei, he had not met the twins in person. Allura’s notes said one of the two should be at a nearby cafe in about an hour. Last step: the team needed some serious muscle. He didn’t really know where he could get any, but Allura had a few ideas.   
“C’mon, Tempest.” He muttered, checking his phone.   
“Hi there,” Someone taps his shoulder. He turns, taking in the young woman standing there. She gives a small wave. “Percy?”  
“Tempest?” He asks. “I’m impressed you came to meet me in person.”  
She smiles. “You got it. For that much money, I’d do almost anything.” She tucks a lock of bright red hair behind her ear and adjusts the big laptop bag on her shoulder. “Well. Tell me more about the job.”  
“We’re meeting another member in a little while.” He relaxes slightly, having another person in the group was much easier. “But we’re down some muscle unless you know of someone.”  
“I have an idea.” Keyleth scuffs her shoe on the ground. “I’ll meet up with her after we get the thief.”  
“Great. Here’s what I need you to do.”

Vax, the Thief  
It was hard for Vax to sit without his sister. But this was part of the protocols they had initiated for contact for a new job: no working for the same person twice, constant communication on and off the job, no blackouts, and only one scouts a job, the other keeps a wary eye.  
“6 o’clock, Shitbird. They’re coming in now.” Vex’s cranky voice comes in through his ear. She wanted to meet the mark this time, but Vax beat her to it. Besides, they wanted a thief, not a con.   
“Good eye, stubby.”   
“Are you saying you didn’t catch that?” He can practically hear her smirking.  
“I’m saying, good eye.” He catches a glimpse of their contact. “Now hush.”  
“Good afternoon.” The young man says, and Vax can hear his sister practically sigh.   
“You didn’t say he was cute!” She hisses.  
“You know, I saw a mockingbird in the park today.”  
“What color was the mockingbird?” Vax takes a sip of his coffee.   
“Black,” Their contact takes a seat, pulling open another chair for the young woman next to him. She takes the seat, removing her aviator sunglasses to reveal hazel-green eyes.   
“Must have been a raven.” Vax extends his hand. “Vax. A pleasure to meet you.”  
“Percy.” He shakes, grasp firm. “This is Tempest.”  
“What can you tell me about this job?” Vax leans back in his chair. “I normally don’t take corporate jobs. They result in espionage charges, which I like to avoid.”  
“Funny, I’d think the world’s greatest thief would be able to avoid charges.” Percy takes out the folder Allura had given them. “We’re helping the law, rather. Bailing out a dumbass cop who got in too deep with the Orthax crime family.”  
“And why do I care about a dumbass cop?” Vax looks through the photos.  
“Because her girlfriend has deep pockets.” He smiles. “Allura Vysoren is desperate for her back, and she’s paying for this job. Enough to fund many many more of those long rip jobs your sister is so fond of.”  
Vax’s eyes narrow.   
“She stays out of this, you hear me?” Vax leans in. “You wanted a thief, I will do it. But she stays clean. This whole thing reeks of bad ideas and a setup.”  
“Great!” The redhead smiles, and Vax would be lying if her tone didn’t soften him just a little bit. “Now we go get our muscle, and we can begin.”

Pike, the Muscle  
A hospital was maybe the last place one would expect to find Captain Pike Trickfoot, former medic to the Tal’Dorei Armed forces. Most who knew her from her military or mercenary days didn’t know more than the small bundle of rage, which made Sarenrae’s Children’s Hospital such a good hiding place for her. She let her guard down, however. That was the only explanation for the ragtag group to be able to sneak up behind her while she was listening to embarrassing pop music and mopping puddles.   
A soft cough was what startled her, and she whirled around, pointing the handle of her mop into the neck of a young man standing behind her.  
“Pike!” Hearing the familiar voice, Pike sighed, just a touch. “We need your help.”  
“What do you want, Tempest?” She asked, dropping her mop and pulling out her earbuds. “I patch you up one time, and you think you can come to me for free care?”   
“We are in need of your… special skills.” The dark haired man eyed her. Shorter than average, with white hair and scrubs that were likely covered in someone’s blood, vomit or other bodily fluids, she was hardly intimidating.   
“My special- Tempest.” Pike sighed. “Or whatever the fuck you want to be called. No. I’m past that, and I won’t do it, especially not for whatever server you want access to or shit you want to steal.”  
“What about for true love?” Tempest, Keyleth, whichever name she was using, turns on her puppy dog eyes.  
“Don’t pull that shit, I will use your real name, I have no qualms about that.” Pike crosses her arms. “What do you mean, true love?”  
“Don’t tell me you don’t believe in it?” Tempest looked aghast. “We’re rescuing someone, Pike. Her girlfriend wants us to find her.”  
“She’s a cop,” the man she had threatened with her mop speaks up. “In too deep with the Orthax crime family. We’re going to get her out.”  
“What’s the take?” Pike narrows her eyes.   
“I’ve seen what you make in a year,” Keyleth says. “Double that for about three weeks work. Plus a vacation to sunny Kraghammer.”  
“Kraghammer is 90% underground.” Pike sets the mop against the wall. “But I’ll go. Not as muscle, but you’ll need a healer if you’re dealing with a missing cop. Won’t be pretty.”  
“That’s all well and good, but we still need-” Pike cuts of the white-haired man.   
“I’ve got a man for you. We go get him, his cut comes from mine. He’ll be your muscle.”  
“Fine by me,” he says. “I’m Percy, this is Vax. You know Tempest.”  
Pike snickers. “Tempest. Yeah. I’ll check out for today, get some time off, we go get Grog.”

Grog, the Muscle  
There was nothing in the world Grog enjoyed more than a good fight. Maybe a good drink. He nodded his head intently, even though Pike was talking to him through a cell phone.  
“So, we’ve got a job.”  
Grog kept nodding.  
“Grog, buddy. You gotta tell me if you’re up for it.”  
“Oh, right. Yeah,” Grog cleared his throat. “How much was it, again?”  
Pike repeated the number, and Grog cleared out his ear, clearly, he hadn’t heard that right.   
“Grog, it’s more than seven.”  
Percy, hearing this, became more than a little concerned. “Pike, are you sure about this guy.”  
“Hey,” She presses the phone to her shoulder. “You need 200-odd pounds of muscle to hit things with, this is who I have. Don’t ask him to plan and we’ll be set.”  
Percy nods. “Tell him we’re picking him up in 15.” He leans against the seat of Pike’s black sedan, waiting for her to finish the call. Percy’s full of a restless energy, and his brain is going a million miles an hour.  
“Focus,” He says to himself. “Focus. You got this, think.”  
Percy begins to plan.


	2. The Party is Assembled (Well, more of it forms)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More party members! Well, one. (But she's important!)

Keyleth, the Hacker  
Pike’s car wasn’t as homey as her van, and once Grog got into the car, Keyleth was feeling just a tad claustrophobic.   
“Ah, Percy.” She taps his shoulder as he naps in the passenger seat, “I think we should split into different cars. I can go get my van, and do some recon while we travel if someone drives?”  
“I’ll drive,” Vax says, somewhat squished between Grog and Keyleth. “Where’s your van?”   
Keyleth bites her lip. She had suggested this, but it hadn’t occurred to her that someone was going to see her van, which certainly was not the cleanest. That was real dumb, she thought to herself. Nobody wants to see your chip bags and burrito wrappers.   
“I parked behind the cafe,” She says to Pike, “If you don’t mind swinging around, should make for a better trip to Kraghammer.”  
“Someone want to tell me why we’re driving to Kraghammer? Vysoren didn’t want to spring for a plane ticket.”  
“We’ve got more than just one stop, Pike.” Percy yawns. “And we have to be inconspicuous.”  
“I can be subtle on a plane.” Pike pulls over. “Here you go.” Keyleth jumps out of the car, stretching the arm that half fell asleep in the car.   
“Oh thank god,” Vax exhales. “I thought I might pass out in that car. Where’s the van?”  
Keyleth walks over to the grey van, which was totally not a stereotype. “Here she is,” She fumbles with the keys. “Mi casa es su casa. Not that I live here, um, I do, but it’s by choice. Not because I can’t afford an apartment anywhere. Anyway, here it is.”  
Vax ducks his head to walk into the van. It was fairly roomy or would be when the junk-food wrappers were cleaned out. Wall to wall monitors lined the back of the van, and various bean bag chairs in various states of use scattered the ground. What once seated a dozen people had been transformed into a semi-apartment for one. Indeed, he could see what looked to be a hammock tied up to the ceiling, and a table bolted to the wall, bearing a single microwave and mini-fridge.   
“Not much, but it’s home.” Keyleth rummaged around the back of the van, tugging at her cream-colored tank top as it rode up. “Energy drink?” She lifted one from the six-pack she had thrown in the back. Vax shook his head.   
“Anyway, I have wifi.” She looked around. “Um, I’ll grab like two things and join you in the front?”  
Vax, mercifully, left her cabin, settling down in the driver’s seat. Keyleth leaned against the table, exhaling. At least her bed was tucked away. From her elaborate setup, she took her laptop charger, as well as a different monitor, just in case. Taking a cursory glance around the rest of the van, everything was bolted and strapped down the way she wanted it to be.   
A knock on the outside of her van made her hair stand on end. “Hey, are you in there?” A voice shouted.   
Keyleth walked over to the back window, looking through to see who was knocking. A dark-haired woman in her mid-twenties leaned against her van, her combat boot up against the door. A cherry-red wheeled suitcase sits by her feet.   
“Come on, I saw you get in.”  
“Who are you?” Keyleth very slowly opens part of the van door.   
The brunette smiles. “Hi there. Is my brother in there?”  
“Vex. The fuck,” Vax opens the door the rest of the way. “Sorry, just need a moment.” He jumps out of the van, grabbing a hold of the brunette’s arm, and dragging her just out of earshot. Keyleth keeps an eye on them, biting her lip. She was hopelessly bad at interacting with people. After an awkward amount of time, Vax returns.   
“Keyleth this is my sister, Vex.” He sighs. “Despite me telling her not to come to this job, she’s following us to Kraghammer.”  
“Do you have a grifter on your team?” Vex flicks Vax’s cheek. “Thief, yes. Muscle and medics, yes. Hacker, obviously yes darling you seem very nice but the van is on the nose. Even a sexy ex-private eye running the con? Yes, you have one. But no grifter. That’s me.”  
“Vex, no.”   
“Vex yes,” Vex smiles a brilliant white grin. “This your ride to Kraghammer?”  
“Um, yes?” Keyleth says. She looks at Vax. “I’m confused, are you coming or no?”  
“You’re sweet,” Vex laughs. “Darling, I’m coming.” She begins to try and climb into the van, but Vax pulls her back by the collar of her brown leather jacket.   
“Not your choice. You’re staying. Go do a small job, nothing I have to bail you out of.”  
Vex laughs.  
“Not yours either, shitbird. It’s this lovely lady’s choice. Darling, permission to come aboard?”  
Keyleth had no clue how to handle sibling squabbles, as an only child, she was out of her depths.   
“The more the merrier, I guess.” Keyleth opens the door all the way, and Vex winks one dark brown eye. “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll stay in the back.”  
Vax sighs as his sister parks her suitcase in the van, then buckles into the front seat. Her boots lean up against the dashboard, and she reclines the passenger seat back.   
“Feet off the dash, stubby.” Vax pushes his sister, then gets into the front seat. “You’ll break them if we crash.”  
“That’ll only happen when you drive.” Vex pouts but pulls her feet down.   
“Fortunately for you, I’m driving.” Vax pulls the van out of the parking spot. “We all set back there?”  
“Yep,” Keyleth sits at one of the many bean bags, stretching out her legs. Her laptop open, she connects to the van’s ethernet and begins to scour the open internet, starting with the police files on Kima and her cases.   
“This is cool,” Vex looks up to a little ornament hanging from the rear-view mirror. It looks to be a little wood carving, shaped into a pair of antlers. Keyleth looks up and shouts across the van.   
“Please don’t touch that,” She says, panicked. “They’re very delicate.”  
“Oh-kayy,” Vex slowly withdraws her hand, brushing it off onto her jeans. She pronounced it long and slow, drawing out the syllables. “You have WiFi in this spy van?”  
“Yeah,” Keyleth goes back to her work. “Password is on the wall, over there.”  
Vex looks around until she finds the small sign, reading the information she wants. “Network name… Aramente, password Kaíte4ke… I’m in. Cool network…”  
“Tempest.” Vax finishes.   
“Really?” Vex plays around on her cell phone. “Coolio.”  
The siblings fade out as she works, coming up with… nothing. Kima’s files are almost purposefully bare, as though she was… Keyleth didn’t know the end to that conclusion. She found one or two surveillance photos, but Kima was careful around the street, local business, and ATM cameras Keyleth hacked. It seemed that most of what they did would have to be on the ground. Quickly, she sent a text to Percy.  
“Nothing yet. Vax’s sister showed up, she’s in my van. I think we’ll have to find eyewitnesses or something, she was careful around cameras. Kraghammer, here we come ;)”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is doing a lot better than my other fics- but I promise, some more Grey Hunt misadventures will be up soon! 
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks, guys!


	3. In which the Plan is formed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans and milkshakes- what could go wrong?

Percy, the Mastermind  
Halfway to Kraghammer, Percy had offered to drive, only for Pike to shake her head.   
“I’m all right. You keep planning.”  
Tempest hadn’t found anything, and now there was another piece to this puzzle. Percy knew of Vex, in the way someone would know of a myth. It seemed improbable that she’d done all she was credited with doing. He needed to get a read on her.   
“Let’s make a stop,” Percy leans forward. “We should break for lunch. I’ll call Tempest.”  
Pike relented to pulling over at an oily looking burger joint. She stepped out of the car, stretching her arms over her head to make a series of cracks along her back.   
“I would figure a healthcare professional as yourself wouldn’t recommend something so…” Percy eyed the restaurant parked on the side of the highway.   
“I’m not a nutritionist,” Pike says, unbothered by the series of horrifying cracks that just came from her back, “and this is protein. Do whatever the fuck you want, I’m getting fries.”  
Tempest’s white van comes squeaking into the parking lot, stopping next to Pike’s black sedan. Keyleth slides the back door open, blinking in the sunlight.   
“Ya know,” she says, yawning, “if you were worried about me eating I have a microwave burrito I was about to eat.”  
“Let’s eat something more substantial, maybe.” Percy looks around for Vex.   
“There’s a train station a mile away,” Vax shouts. “I’ll drive you there, buy you a ticket to go anywhere… Vex!”  
A tall and lanky woman opens the passenger door, grinning at Vax.   
“Aww. You thought you’d get rid of me that easy? Nope.”  
She climbs out of the van, beginning to strut over to Percy. She is easily one of the most stunning women he’s ever seen, long black hair and tinted sunglasses hiding her eyes.   
“Hello, darling.” She profs a hand, which he takes, shaking it. “The name’s Vex’alia. Grifter. I’d like to join your team, seeing as my idiot brother is on it and I’m almost always covering for his fuckups.”  
Percy coughs. Vax, behind Vex, is furiously shaking his head. But against his better judgment, he speaks.   
“You did everything most intelligence agencies credit to you?”  
“Well, last I checked yes,” Vex says. “But it’s been a while since I checked.”  
“Welcome to the team.” Percy lets go of her hand. Now he just had to figure out where Vex fit in. 

“Alright, Percy.” Pike puts down her milkshake. “Time for the plan.”  
Percy coughs.   
“Yes, alright.” Keyleth takes a fry from Vax, who pretends not to notice the awful slight of hand.   
“Plan. Tempest has been looking all over any and all Kraghammer cameras, Kima is nowhere to be found. This is why we need a grifter, smash and grabs aren’t going to work.”  
Vax grumbles.   
“I did find this,” Keyleth opens her laptop. “The Orthax family has strong ties to a mining company- Greyspine Quarry. They’ve been rivals for a while, Underdark Inc has been mining into land that doesn’t belong to them.”  
“And Underdark is run by Orthax. We need to get inside that mine,” Percy taps his fingers on the table. “We run a mine job.”  
“What?” Keyleth looks at the nods from the twins. “Sorry, my heists stay in the digital world. What is a mine job?”  
“Like a fiddle game, but underground.”  
Vax says, “Who’s doing what, Percy?”  
“Still not getting it,” Keyleth mutters.   
“Okay, here’s the play by play.” Percy begins to explain. “Twins, you go into the mine, salt it. I’ll be the buyer. Grog, can you go under as a worker? I’d like to have a man inside.”  
Grog nods.   
“This is never going to work.” Pike downs the last of her milkshake. “But I’d like to see you try.”  
“Pike, you’ll be a buyer with me.” Percy looks around at his team. “And Tempest, can you build a few things? It’ll help with the show.”  
“Ah, sure.” Keyleth nods. “So, we put our people in place, all with the goal of..?”  
“Selling Orthax a something he doesn’t need,” Vex says. “And taking all his money.”  
“And finding Kima,” Percy adds. “Seeing as that’s the goal of this job.”

Vex, the Grifter.   
“She’s cute, you know.” Vex looks up from her phone to try and see the reaction on her brother’s face. Keyleth’s snores echoed through the van, and Vex saw Vax’s knuckles go white on the steering wheel. “Tempest. She’s cute.”  
“And?” Vax bites his tongue.  
“Just saying,” Vex plans her words carefully, “It’s been a while since you’ve had any fun. Six months? More?”  
Vax shakes his head. “I am not having sex with her, Vex.”   
“Okay,” Vex stays silent for a moment. “What about Pike? She’s cute too.”  
“Vex.”  
“I know you sometimes flirt around,” Vex smiles. “Have some funnn.”  
“No.” Vax tries to end the conversation.  
“Grog, maybe? That’s rather ambitious, brother. Or Percy? Maybe we could share.”  
“Vex, I will pull this van over.” Vax’s cheeks are a delightful shade of red, “I am not having sex with anyone on this team.”  
“Why not?” Vex asks, “Really, why not. We’re doing a one and done, get lots of money. We won’t see anyone again. Why not get some?”  
“Just… let’s not talk about my sex life, Vex.”  
“Fine,” she says. “Leave me to meddle in it all alone. It’s a long ride to Kraghammer, I have lots of time to plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something tells me Vax is very wrong about "I will not have sex with anyone on this team"...   
> To be fair so is Vex about "One and done." 
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks, guys!


	4. Hotel Rooms and Late Nights

Pike, the Medic  
Just as the sun begins to set, the few above-ground buildings of Kraghammer come into view. Pike and Percy had switched back and forth driving, and she had a sore back as a result.   
“Hey, get Tempest on the phone.” She poked Percy in the arm. “We gotta plan where we’re staying.”  
“Allura covered that,” Percy starts dialing. “We have a room at a hotel. Not too bad.”  
Not too bad was an understatement, Pike was to find out soon. Allura had booked a multi-bedroom suite on the penthouse floor of the Hotel Sierra Rosewood. Her room was covered with carefully sculpted plaster molding and near-floor to ceiling windows covered in long drapes. Within moments of checking in, Pike had buried herself in white feather pillows and golden silky blankets on her king-size bed.   
“Pike, we got a meeting with Percy,” Grog downs a soda from the minibar, as the mini soda can looks even smaller in his large hands. Pike groans.   
“Alright, I’m coming.” Pike splashes some water on her face before walking to the connecting suite with Grog.   
“We’re all here,” Vex crosses her arms, sitting on a stool by a marble-topped bar. “Didn’t we have a full plan made?”  
“We have updates!” Keyleth says, much too cheery for the late hour, likely a result from her largely nocturnal schedule. “K’varn Orthax is in town.”  
“What, here?” Pike rubs the sleep from her eyes.   
“Yes,” Percy adjusts his thin wire-rimmed glasses. “Which is why this entire job got far more complicated. We are going to continue as planned, but with far more caution. If we are blown, we move to the next plan: smash and grabs to every Orthax controlled building in Kraghammer.”

Vax, the Thief  
After all these years, Vex’s snores shouldn’t keep him awake. Yet somehow, Vax finds himself unable to drift off, instead staring at the blue canopy hangings over his bed. Giving up, he throws off the covers and wanders. The doors in the suite hardly creak, and Vax hardly has to work while he sneaks around the bar. As he looks around for anyone awake, he catches a glimpse of blue light from Keyleth’s laptop illuminating a corner of the living room.  
“Tempest.” He walks over to her, as she bops her head to something she’s listening to on her headphones. “Tempest.”  
“Hm? Oh, hi Vax.” She pulls off her headphones. “What are you doing up?”  
“Couldn’t sleep.” Vax wanders back over to the bar. “Drink?”  
“Sure,” Keyleth closes her laptop and sits on one of the suede-covered barstools. “I was just trying to get a better financial angle on Orthax.”  
From the bar, Vax finds a bottle of something brown, along with a few glasses.   
“Any luck?” Vax slides a glass in her direction.   
Keyleth shakes her head. “Their financials are completely locked up. But it’s okay, Percy’s got a good angle.”  
“How long have you known him?” Vax asks.   
“Oh, well.” Keyleth takes a sip of her drink. “I’ve done contract work for him for… five or six years now? But this is the first time we’ve met in person.”  
Vax eyes her. From what she’s said, she’s been in the business for five years at least, and she doesn’t look all that old.  
“You’ve been doing this for a while?”  
Keyleth nods. “I started young. I assume the same is true of you and Vex?”  
“Yeah.” Vax smiles. “Middle-school bullies made good marks.”  
“Ha, stealing back lunch money?”  
“Amongst other things.” Vax rests his fingers on the rim of his glass. “I should try and get some sleep. I’m salting the mine tomorrow- how goes the science stuff?”  
“Percy’s handling most of that.” Keyleth downs the last of her drink. “But we have everything set for tomorrow morning. Goodnight, Vax.”  
“Goodnight,” Vax says softly as she walks back over to the makeshift hacker’s nest. Vex was semi-correct, Tempest was sweet and smart, and everything he normally looked for in a match. Yet something made him hesitate. This whole job was a glass tower, and one wrong move could shatter the whole thing. Best to leave it be, he thought. At least for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapters suck. Particularly when you think you've written so much. Longer chapters on their way! (And I mean it this time!)
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks!


	5. The Job is Started

Vex, the Grifter  
“Remember, keep it simple.” Percy’s voice comes in through the earbud, clear as though he was whispering to her and her alone. “Don’t dust yet, use the false monitors. They’re pressure sensitive, so they’ll indicate more if you squeeze the trigger.”  
“Copy that.” Vex adjusts the plastic helmet on her head. “We’re going in now.”  
The headquarters for Underdark Inc, one of two competing mining companies in Kraghammer, was not glamorous or prestigious at all. All of their administrative work was housed in a trailer currently parked outside of the mine. It was before this trailer that Vex and Vax stood, knocking on the door.   
“How can I help you?” An older man Vex recognized as Jovanni Orthax, head of the mining enterprise, opens the tin door.   
“Scarlett Burke, I’m with the Tal’Dorei Mining Regulation Association.” Vex changes up her accent just for the fun of it. From her pocket, she pulls out one of her many embossed business cards. “This is my colleague, Kenny Duncan. We’re here to do a surprise security check on the mines. It’s routine, as I’m sure you know.”  
“Ah, Miss Burke, I hope you don’t mind if we double check that,” Orthax eyes the number on her card before passing it to a burly and greasy looking man. “Deke, could you call the Mining Association? Confirm we have an inspection for today.”  
“Tempest, they’re dialing now.” Vax whispers.   
“Of course,” Vex smiles at Orthax.   
“Got it,” Keyleth says. Across the trailer, Deke picks up the phone.   
Through the comms, the conversation comes through loud and clear.   
“Hi, this is Deke with Underdark Inc. I would like to confirm we have a surprise inspection scheduled for today at nine?”  
“Let me check,” Keyleth holds her nose to make her voice more nasally. “Yes, Underdark Inc is scheduled for an inspection at nine today. Anything else I can help you with? No? Great. Have a nice day.”  
Deke nods at Orthax. “Everything checks out, boss man.”  
“Alright. Can you bring the inspectors through the mine?” Orthax smiles, revealing a solid gold tooth towards the back of his mouth. “Mining is a dangerous business, especially for a pretty little thing like you.”  
“Thank you, Mr. Orthax.” Vex smiles, sending mental signals to her brother in hopes he won’t respond. “You’ve been most accommodating.”   
“On our way down the mine,” Vex whispers.   
“Coms might go down from being underground,” Keyleth types something on her laptop. “It’ll be good to see where we can still hear you. I’ll keep track.”  
Vex’s first worry was in the elevator down the mineshaft. It seemed to be the farthest thing from safe, and she swore she could hear creaks from the wood flooring as the elevator descended. She breathed a silent sigh of relief as the elevator touched down and she stepped into the shaft.   
“This way is shaft A,” Deke led them down a winding mass of tunnels. “We do most of the mining here, mostly coal. B takes some of the work, but C is entirely closed off- had a couple cave ins there about 15 years ago, still haven’t touched it.”  
Vex holds up her scanner, pressing it in order to indicate spikes and increases in their mystery mineral. She nudges Vax, muttering something under her breath to get his attention.   
“What’cha got there?” Deke squints at the screen of the sensor.   
“Dust reading,” Vax says, leaning over to Vex to whisper. “Think he bought it?”  
“Doesn’t look like no dust reading to me,” He mumbles.   
“I’d say that worked.” Vex smiles.   
“Great job, you two,” Percy says over coms. “Sweep the rest of the mine, then I’ll meet you at the restaurant for the brush off.”

Percy, the Mastermind  
The Juniper Diner wasn’t the establishment Percy would prefer to frequent, but it helped the con. Vex had asked Orthax for a restaurant recommendation, meaning he would know where Vex was once Deke told Orthax about the strange “dust reading” the inspectors had done. Thus, Percy sat, staring down dry home fries and oily black coffee. In his notebook, he looked over his plans, trying to look busy.   
“Hey,” Vex slid into the booth opposite Percy. “He show up yet?”  
“Not yet.” Percy closes his notebook. “You scan the whole mine?”  
“And acted suspicious as hell about it.” Vex picked at some of the home fries. “This bit only works if he distrusts me enough to come here.”  
“It’ll work.” Percy taps his foot. I hope, he thinks. He doesn’t know if it will, really. Just as he begins to doubt, Orthax walks in.  
“He just walked in. Remember, change the accent.” Percy puts down a few dollars on the table for the food. He buttons the velvet jacket he wears, taking care to adjust the silvery grey tie as well. Louder, he continues speaking. “Yeah, ah, great job today Jess. Keep up the good work.”   
“I’ll see you later this week, Mr. Greyspine,” Vex says in yet another accent, loud enough for Orthax to hear. She looks around the restaurant as Orthax comes up to her table.   
“Oh, Mr. Orthax.” She slips back into the first accent she used on him. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”  
“You are aware, impersonating a mine safety inspector is illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison?” Orthax sits at the booth, cracking his knuckles. “Why don’t you tell me who you actually are and what you’re doing in my mine?”  
“Mr. Greyspine hired me.” She slips into the second accent with a sigh. “Jessica Reid, of Ried and Tinston. My company invented a mining process, which Mr. Greyspine is bidding on.”  
Percy smiles while listening in. He may have had serious concerns about Vex joining the team, but it has turned out to be a good call so far.   
“Greyspine?” Orthax laughs. “His land’s nearly mined out for coal. Why are you selling to him?”  
“This process doesn’t look for coal, Mr. Orthax.” Vex cocks her head, “It’s called Kambroite, and it’s rather useful- if not necessary- for the manufacture of next-gen cell phone chips. The Greyspine mine, as well as your own, have multiple veins of Kambroite.”  
“How much is he paying you for it?” Orthax taps his fingers on the table. “Multiple veins, you say?”  
“Worth more than you’ll pay for the process.” Vex knows she has him. “Greyspine is offering 1.2 million for exclusive rights.”  
“1.2,” Orthax laughs. “You have to be kidding. For the amount he has on his land?”  
“I’m afraid you don’t quite understand, Mr. Orthax.” She says. “With this process, Mr. Greyspine can mine the Kambroite out from your land with hardly any effort. In six months, all of the eight large veins we found will be mined out from Mr. Greyspine’s side.”  
Orthax stops laughing. “Why are you telling me this?”  
“I’m a businesswoman, Mr. Orthax.” Vex places down a different card on the table. “I know a bidding war when I see one. I sell the process to Mr. Greyspine on Friday. Let me know if you want to make an offer.”  
Vex walks away, grin on her face.   
“Orthax is primed.” She presses a hand to her earbud. “From my read, there’s no way he has more than a million liquid in Underdark. To get the rest of the money, he’s going to have to ask the higher-ups.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, a longer chapter!
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks!


	6. The Double Cross

Keyleth, the Hacker  
When she took this job, she didn’t know what she was expecting. Keyleth had worked with Percy beforehand, sure. But there was never a large number of new people walking through her van, touching her stuff. She muses on this as she swats Percy’s hand away from her computer.   
“Don’t touch that, I’m in the middle of a very important download.” Keyleth goes to her snack cabinet, looking for chips.   
“Uh huh,” Percy peeks at the screen. “That Doctor Who?”  
“I’m downloading it and it’s important.” Keyleth crows with satisfaction having found her snack of choice. “Capaldi’s regenerating, so sue me. How’s it going with the other stuff?”  
“Oh, we have plenty of ways to have a fun show later in the con.” Percy sits down on one of the beanbags. “Now we just wait for the cash transfer, follow the money, find another place to search.”  
A ping from Keyleth’s laptop announces something- she pulls it aside to check.   
“What was that?” Percy looks at Keyleth’s furrowed brow. “Funds move?”  
“No, not yet.” She swipes the alert to the side. “Text. Nothing important. And my episode’s done downloading, finally.” She throws herself down on her beanbag.  
“So, why the name Tempest?” Percy asks. “I always wondered.”  
“What, you didn’t think that could just be my name?” Keyleth smiles.   
“I figured you’d use an internet name,” Percy taps his long fingers on his knee restlessly. “Even I used a fake, and I’m no hacker.”  
“Eh, yours was easy.” Keyleth tears into her chip bag. “Guess you’ll just have to keep wondering about mine.”  
Percy was about to make an educated guess, at least, she assumes he was. She doesn’t know because of the sudden entrance of Vex to the van.   
“Did we- What is that smell?” She gags.   
“Hey,” Keyleth opens a soda. “I just had my van detailed. Minxy is so clean.”  
“There’s gum on my shoe, Tempest.” Vex shuts the door behind her. “And we have such a lovely hotel room, Darling. I just got the call from Orthax, did he move the money? I’d have thought you’d keep us up to date, Percy.”  
“We didn’t get a transfer notice,” Keyleth frantically begins to search on her laptop.   
“How much is he offering?” Percy runs his hands through his hair.   
“He upped it to 1.5 mil,” Vex bites the inside corner of her mouth. “And he said you can kiss his ass.”  
“Great,” Percy paces the van. “Tempest, you wanna tell me how Orthax got his hands on half a million dollars we didn’t know about?”  
“I don’t know,” Her fingers move along the keys with a fury, “He must have had more liquid, he hasn’t withdrawn money in the last five weeks.”  
“What if we keep going, but we tweak it?” Vex crosses her arms. “Do a double cross buyout, fox in the hen house, with the farmer’s pants?”  
“That could work,” Percy rubs his eyes. “Get us to where that extra liquid is. We’re going to need a lot more coffee.”

Grog, the Hitter  
“Pike, I think I found something,” Grog wipes a small amount of soot from his face, smearing it along one cheek.   
“What is it?” The small woman is balanced semi-precariously on his shoulders, affixing one of the many tools for Percy’s show.   
“Two days ago, there weren’t any steps going into the abandoned shaft. But now there’s fresh prints and some drag marks.”  
“Okay.” Pike thinks for a moment, then unwires the device from the wall. “There’s something they don’t want people to find there. Percy? We’re moving the stage like 20 feet to the left, by the abandoned shaft. I have an idea as to where Kima might be.”  
“Hey, you there- what are you doing?” Deke turns a corner, crossing his arms at the sight of Pike meddling with the sensor. “Mine’s closed for the day. Go home, you lot.”  
“Sure thing,” Pike says, smiling demurely. She gives the sensor a last, loving pat, then uses white chalk to mark the location. “Orthax wanted us to put in some extra security, you know. What with the new investments coming in.”

Vex, the Grifter  
Normally, Vex got her way. That’s why she was in this line of work, why she was on this job. And today couldn’t afford to be any different, she thought as she called Orthax to tell him the deal was on.   
“I’ll see you at four,” She said in her accent, perhaps a little too thick. “Expect the process to come in installments, like you’re going to be paying.”  
This was risky, she knows. Going up against a powerful family full of people with guns who won’t hesitate to use them on her this time. At four, she parks herself in the same diner as before, this time with a silver case full of useless technology.   
“Good to see you came, Miss Reid.” Orthax adjusts a very fat purple tie around his thick neck. It stands out obtrusively against his black dress shirt. He shakes her hand and her eye goes to the thick gold ring with a red gemstone on his pinky finger.   
“Of course, I always attend my business arrangements.” Vex sets up her demo. “As you can see, your first kit comes with standard equipment along with these scanners and refinery systems, as well as traditional test kits. The beauty of the system is how it eliminates mining blind- focus your men on where you know the Kambroite is, maximizing your profits.”   
“No need to sell me, Miss Reid.” Orthax grins and Vex shivers slightly. “I’m all in, as is my company.”  
“Of course.” Vex puts everything back into the case and slides it over to Orthax. “I’ll be needing your down payment of 100,000.”  
Orthax opens his briefcase, showing his 100,000. “Count it if you like, it’s all there. I’ll be expecting the remaining equipment shortly.”  
“A pleasure, Mr. Orthax,” Vex stands, brushing off her skirt. “I’ll be in contact with you shortly.”  
Case in hand, she walked out of the restaurant and into Tempest’s van.  
“He’s ready for you, Percy.” She says into her com. “Bury him, darling.”

Percy, the Mastermind  
With the mine’s grounds sprawling before him, Percy parks Pike’s black sedan. From his jacket pocket he produces a cell phone, and dials the number Tempest found for Orthax.  
“Who is this?” Orthax picks up after a single ring.   
“Mr. Orthax,” Percy says smoothly. “We have similar interests, and I thought you’d want to know we’ve been had.”  
“Greyspine,” Orthax laughs. “You calling to try and con me out of my investment? I thought you’d have more class.”  
“I’m guessing you paid her already. Meet me at your mine if you don’t believe me.” Percy says. “I’ll meet you down there, do a couple tests. That Reid woman is full of shit, and she just walked away with 200,000 of my money.”  
He hangs up before Orthax can respond, and begins to walk down into the mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game is afoot! Well, more afoot. The game continues to be afoot? Regardless, some additional shenanigans heading this way.
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks, guys!


	7. Continuation

Percy, the Mastermind  
It takes six long minutes for Orthax to get to the mine. Percy scans the area, carefully placing himself next to the abandoned shaft.   
“Greyspine,” Orthax crosses his arms. “Prefer it if you got out of my mine.”  
“Yeah, yeah.” Percy pulls a vial from his pocket. “Take a look.”  
“I already did surface tests, Greyspine. They came back—”  
“Positive, yes.” Percy scrapes some of the laced limestone dust from the mine walls, adding it to the first vial of liquid. A shake turns the liquid green, proving the presence of Kambroite. “But if you go deeper…” He digs his pocket knife deeper into the rock wall, dislodging unlaced minerals from the mine. The liquid in this test comes back clear. “The tests come back negative.”  
“I’ll be damned.” Orthax takes a look at the vial. “That bitch salted my mine.”  
“They sold it to me too- I gave them 200,000.” Percy eyes the little device Pike planted and takes a careful step back.   
“We should get outta here,” Orthax pockets the vial. “I know someone who can set this whole thing straight—”  
Just as Orthax says this, the mine begins to rumble. The beams pull away from the ceiling, and a flurry of earth falls to try and bury the two men alive. 

 

Keyleth, the Hacker  
“Percy,” She tries to hear anything beyond the rumble of the earth.   
“Can you hear him?” Vex shakes her knee anxiously.   
“There was always a possibility that the earth would block the signal,” Keyleth tries to find a connection again. “Pike, can you still hear me?”  
“Loud and clear,” Pike says through the comms. “We’re about to start the raid.”  
“Okay. Get out quickly, Pike.”  
“Is he going to be okay?” Vex bites her lip.  
“I’m sure everything is going to be fine, Vex.” Vax looks no calmer than his sister. “We just have to wait.”  
Vex nods. Stretching, she hops outside the van. On her phone, she dials a number Vax told her never to do.   
“Hi, emergency?” She shakes. “There’s been a cave-in down in Underdark. Come quickly, please.”

Pike, the Medic  
The blast cleared the rubble from the abandoned shaft, leaving a featureless steel door. Grog got his fingertips into the seam, pulling it off its hinges. As it fell to the ground with a clatter, Pike sneezed behind the dust mask she was wearing.   
A dark passage loomed before them, and she turned on the lamp attached to her yellow safety helmet.   
There was a layer of dirt along what seemed to be metal flooring. Pike began to try and sneak along the tunnel.   
Slowly, after a long stretch, she saw a light begin to glimmer at the end. With a motion for Grog to do the same, she turned off her light, moving blindly.   
The passage split in two, with one closed off by a large door, the other open. Pike poked her head around, looking for anyone guarding. She quickly withdrew at the sight of two men, chatting softly.   
“Two men, sidearms only.” She turns to Grog.   
“You take lefty, I’ll take righty?” Grog shrugs. Pike wraps her fingers tighter around a portion of steel pipe.   
“Let’s go.”  
As the pair sprint across the room, Pike relishes the look of ‘oh shit’ that flickers across their faces as they fumble for their weapons. Before Lefty can draw, Pike’s pipe slams across his forehead, and he falls to the ground, motionless.   
Grog takes his time with Righty, disarming him, then making use of his ham-sized fists.   
Pike begins to look around. The room was broken off by a series of gated off cells, a total of six. She pushes against one, and the door swings open. Pike recoils at the smell of death wafting from a pile of clothing.   
“Is that..?” Grog scans the room.   
“No, I don’t think so.” Pike moves from cell to cell, peeking into each. Other than the singular body in the first cell, the place was empty. “We should keep moving.”  
At the second door, Grog does the same door-bust, ripping it from its hinges. Another guard springs up, and Grog’s eyes light up. After a few punches, Pike slips behind Grog into the dimly lit room.   
Pike was a medic, she was used to the smell dying men made. This room reeked of it in a way she hadn’t smelled before. Urine and blood and sweat pooled on the ground. Various tables were covered in different torture equipment, from pliers to a hacksaw to a drill. Attached to a chair with an excessive number of straps was a figure wearing a black hood.   
Grog finished his work, and Pike began to rush to the figure. She pulled the black hood off, revealing a puff of copper hair.   
“I have eyes on Kima,” Pike presses into her comm. “Tempest, do you read?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest fic yet! Another chapter coming very soon, I don't want to leave you hanging!  
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks!


	8. Smoke

Percy, the Mastermind  
Groaning, he picks his head up from the ground.   
“Tempest, do you read?” His comm was dead, as confirmed by the dead silence over the line.   
“Hey, Orthax,” He looks over to where Orthax is leaning against the mine wall. “You alright?”  
“I’m fine. There’s no signal down here.” Orthax pockets his phone. “We’re stuck.”  
“I- I’m sure there’s something we can use to call for help,” Percy scans the room. “There, what about that intercom?”  
“It doesn’t work.” Orthax shakes his head. “None of it works.”   
“What do you mean?” Percy hits the button on the intercom frantically. “I’ve seen your financials, Orthax. Your parent company dumps thousands into mine safety.”  
“Money laundering,” Orthax says. “All of it used to cover expenses that we shouldn’t have.”  
“Fuck.” Percy slumps down to the ground. “How much time do you suppose we have.”  
“There’s not enough oxygen,” Orthax takes a look at the monitor mounted on the wall- the only functional safety measure. “At least, not for the two of us.” He mutters.   
“What was that?” Percy pretends to have not heard.   
“Come take a look, Greyspine.” Orthax points to the meter. As Percy’s head turns, he feels the impact of something hard to the back of his head. “There’s not enough air, and I’ll be damned if I die next to you.” 

Pike, the Medic  
“Grog, help me. Get those straps.” Grog’s fingers fumble to loosen them as Pike assesses the almost unconscious woman. No gaping wounds, but a smattering of bruises cover the visible skin of her upper arms and neck. By far the worst is her hand, which Pike now holds. Something like a sledgehammer was driven into her left hand, breaking four fingers and likely damaging her wrist. She loosens the straps around the swelling left arm.   
“Hey, are you awake?” Pike feels for a pulse- it’s easy to find and strong. The woman’s head nods.   
“Okay, can you answer a few questions?” With another nod, Pike starts to check for a concussion. “What is your name?”  
“Kima,” she uses her free arm to push the loose strands of copper hair from her face. “Who sent you?”  
“Okay, Kima. I’m Pike.” Pike takes a look at the hand. “Your hand is broken in quite a few places. We’re going to get you out of here.”  
“You take Kima, I’ll go get Percy,” Grog cracks his knuckles.  
“Don’t kill Orthax, Grog. Can you walk?” She turns to Kima. “Go.”

Vax, the Thief  
“Bad news,” Tempest looks up from her laptop. “I just picked up police chatter in the area- they’re sending a squad car and an ambulance in response to an emergency call.”  
“Try and get Percy back on the line.” He starts the van. “We might need to make a run for it.”  
“I’m trying, but I don’t know…”   
“Damn it. Where’s Vex?” Vax opens the door, causing Vex to fall onto the hard plastic flooring of the van.   
“The hell, Shitbird?” She rubs the back of her head.   
“You called them, didn’t you?” He crosses his arms. “Police are on their way.”  
“Why would you think that?”  
“You are shit at lying, Stubby.” Vax closes the door. “We’ll deal with it later. For now, pray that Grog and Pike find Percy and get out before the cops.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a short chapter this time. Coming close to the end!  
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I'll be responding to as many as I can and I really appreciate it. Thanks!


	9. Endgame

Grog, the Hitter  
It only takes Grog a moment to begin pulling back the beams around the cave-in.   
“Mr. Orthax, you all right in there?” He peeked through to where Orthax was pacing.   
“Get me out of here, quickly!” Orthax shouts.   
“No need to be huffy,” Grog mutters. “There’s a couple of aftershocks still coming through. The main shaft is still clear.”  
Grog sticks his hand through to help Orthax through. Orthax begins to jog away, limping slightly from the blast.   
“I got eyes on Percy,” Grog slips inside the caved in portion. “Pike, we’re coming to you.”

 

Keyleth, The Hacker  
“I have ears on Pike!” She focuses the signal.   
“Out now… by the rendezvous… come get us… Tempest… read?”  
“Tell her we’re coming.” Vax starts up the van.   
“Pike, you’re cutting in and out. Twins and I are coming to get you. Did you find Kima?”  
“We have cops on the scene, Shitbird,” Vex turns to Vax. “You have that bag of cash?”  
“Why do you want the bag of cash, Vex?” Vax’s voice remains calm despite the close getaway.   
“Because I have photos of a meet with Orthax and a big bag of cash,” Vex paces the van. “Keyleth, how quickly can you put a snap of conversation on a drive? Just enough from when we talked.”  
“Got it,” Keyleth plays the clip from her laptop. “Did you know if you have 30 minutes of conversation from someone you can have them say anything on a recording?”  
“I’m going to mine everything out from this bastard,” Orthax on the tape shouts. “Put Greyspine and that damn cop in the ground for good.”  
“That enough for you?” Keyleth smiles as Vex’s eyes go wide.   
“You’re my new best friend,” Vex slips the flash drive into the briefcase, tossing it out of the van as they drive past the mine entrance.   
“Orthax is out,” Vex shouts. “Now?”  
Keyleth hits a key on her laptop. With a roar, the mine explodes, sending Orthax sprawling forward just as the lights of the first squad car flash on the horizon. 

Percy, The Mastermind  
He feels the ground shake as Grog helps him out the back door.   
“Wasn’t expecting that to be so big,” he rubs the back of his head, wincing.   
“Hey, you made them,” Pike sits Percy down. “I just put them places.”  
“Get in!” Vex shouts from the van, squealing in semi-protest from Vax’s quick stop.   
“Kima?” Keyleth looks at the injured woman. “Your ride’s our front.”  
“Allura sent you?” She starts to sit up. “Told her not to, but of course. She paying you well?”  
“Anything for our local law enforcement,” Vex blows her a kiss from the van. “See you around, darling.”

***

From the settling dust, Kima stumbles through. “Orthax, you bastard.” She squints, “Where the fuck are you?  
A large lumbering figure takes a moment to catch their breath. Without much thought, Kima sprints to him, jumping up to attempt a judo takedown. As her elbow makes contact with the base of Orthax’s spine, she feels the reverberations come up her hand. With a wince, she is thrown off, and Orthax comes face to face with her.  
“I should have known you’d never stay dead.” He crushes her hand with his, causing more damage to the less-damaged wrist. With a last moment of desperation, Kima kicks him in the gut, causing him to roll over. She grabs his hand, pinning him on his back.   
“K’varn Orthax, you’re under arrest.” Kima digs her knee into his back, managing quite well despite the broken hand. “Money laundering, fraud, assault, assault with intent to intimidate, kidnapping- need I go on?”  
“Who are you?” An officer lowers his pistol.   
“Officer Kima of Vord, Emon P.D,” Somehow, her badge is still on her, and she flashes it with her good hand. “I’ve been working the Orthax case for three months. There should be a duffle bag around here somewhere, with my evidence.”

 

Vax parks the van at an abandoned lot just outside of Emon, the hub for most of their activities. “Funds from Allura have just been deposited into your desired accounts,” Percy adjusts his sunglasses. “Orthax’s trial is scheduled, and Kima is a hero for taking him down.”  
“That…” Vex checks her phone. “That’s pretty good.”  
“One show only,” Vax crosses his arms. “No encores.”  
“I gotta admit, this was fun.” Keyleth smiles. “Haven’t had that kinda fun on a job in a while.”  
“Percy almost died,” Pike shakes her head. “And you’re calling it fun?”  
“C’mon buddy,” Grog nudges Pike. “It felt pretty good to be a bruiser again. And on a moral job? I think that was pretty much a perfect gig."  
Percy walks off, running a hand through his snow-white hair. He still had a large sore spot on the back of his head following the job, but Tempest was right, to an extent. This was fun. 

Vax throws his arm around his sister.   
“Lot more money than you thought, huh?” She looks at the big number in the account again.   
“Sure is.” The pair begins to stroll down the road. Around them, cherry blossom trees drop their soft pink petals on their matching dark hair. “We should be set for a while.”

“You want a ride back to the gym?” Pike turns the ignition, turning to Grog.   
“Hold on, just making a quick call.” He punches in a series of numbers. “Hey, you want to do it again?”

Tempest pulls her van over, swinging the door open for the twins.   
“Hey, you want to do it again?” She smiles.   
Percy takes a long pull from his flask, letting the whiskey build a fire in his stomach. From his jacket, a phone begins to ring.   
“Speak,” He takes another drink.  
“Hello, darling,” From across the street, Vex cocks her head, lowering the phone from her ear. “What do you say? Let’s do another job.”  
“This isn’t my life,” Percy shakes his head and keeps walking. “I’m no thief, Vex.”  
“That’s why we need you,” She grins, taking long strides to keep up with him. “One honest man to keep us on the straight and narrow. You pick the jobs, we run them.”  
“We should get the rest of the crew back.”   
“Well, would you look at that.” Vex nods her head over to a familiar white van parked by a black sedan. “They’re all here.”  
“What the hell.” Percy downs the last of his drink. “Let’s go break the law again.”  
“Only once?” Vex teases.   
“Oh, a few more times, I think.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! (Certainly not the last fic for this universe!)
> 
> As always, find me on the internet  
> @zoetriestobecoolbutnope
> 
> And if you like this work, please hit that kudos button or leave a comment! I respond to every one, and I really appreciate it. Thanks!


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